Eli Roth’s new chiller shows dessert-mad kids transformed into ice-cold killers
The director’s new gorefest sees a seemingly innocent small-town treat become the catalyst for a wave of shocking violence, as the filmmaker launches the first feature from his new horror-focused company.
Eli Roth is returning to the horror genre with Ice Cream Man.
The 54-year-old filmmaker producer and actor’s new project is a blood-soaked slasher that turns a seemingly idyllic summer setting into a nightmare as children descend into violence after eating ice cream served by a mysterious vendor.
Eli has unveiled the official trailer for the feature ahead of its North American release on 7 August.
The film, which will open in approximately 2,000 cinemas, follows a small town plunged into terror when an ice cream seller begins distributing frozen treats with devastating consequences.
The project marks the first feature released under Eli’s newly launched horror banner, The Horror Section, and continues his long-running association with graphic horror storytelling that has previously included Hostel, Cabin Fever and, more recently, Thanksgiving.
The trailer depicts a group of children exhibiting increasingly disturbing behaviour after buying ice cream from the title character.
In one sequence, children are shown standing over sleeping parents.
In another, they create snow angels in a pool of blood, while a further scene shows a woman being restrained as one child attacks her with an axe.
Set in a picturesque summer town, the film stars Ari Millen, best known for Orphan Black, in the title role.
The cast also includes Benjamin Byron Davis, whose credits include Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Karen Cliche, who previously appeared in Thanksgiving, Dylan Hawco of Heartland, Sarah Abbott, known for The Body, and Shiloh O’Reilly of Thanksgiving.
Alongside directing and producing the film, Eli co-wrote the screenplay with longtime collaborator Noah Belson, whose previous work includes The Rotten Fruit.
The film features an original score from composer Brandon Roberts, with additional music provided by Snoop Dogg. Prosthetic make-up effects have been created by Steve Newburn, whose previous credits include Thanksgiving, and Adrien Morot, the Academy Award-winning make-up artist behind The Whale.
Kate Harrison, a producer on Thanksgiving, serves as producer alongside Eli through Cream Productions.
The release continues a busy period for Eli, whose 2023 slasher Thanksgiving became a commercial success and developed into one of the director’s most acclaimed projects in years.
The film, starring Patrick Dempsey, Addison Rae and Nell Verlaque has since become a recurring reference point within contemporary horror discussions and helped re-establish Eli as a major figure in the genre.
Ice Cream Man also launches The Horror Section’s expanding slate of productions.
The company, founded in 2025, focuses on horror-centred films, experiences and events.
Its forthcoming projects include Don’t Go In That House, B****!, which features rapper Snoop as a producer while also contributing as a writer and performer on the original soundtrack.
